A New Home, A New Hope
by headlines don't sell papes
Summary: Sprint had tough past. From her father being captured by the police, to moving countries, she wasn't ready for change. But when an unexpected guest forces Sprint to leave for her mothers sake, things may travel up or downhill. Where will Sprint live? Will she be reunited with her brother? Read what becomes of this measly, passive-assertive, French-Canadian girl.
1. 1: A New Home, A New Hope

(Disclaimer: I wish I did, but I do not own Newsies. I do however own the following, as they are works of my creation: Heloise, Veronique, Pierre, Claude and Anna-Olivia, Jean-Luc, Daniel Pratt and family, Andrew Johnson and family, Marisa O'Neill and family, and Nicolette Andressen and family.)

Heloise held her face in her hands. Her and Veronique had been going through this newspaper article for a half an hour now, and each time, Veronique would stumble at the sentence "The victim was being held hostage on gunpoint.".Heloise suddenly burst from her quietness of focusing on what Veronique was trying to read.

"Veronique, eet's zee veectim was being 'eld 'ostage on gunpoint." stressed Heloise, folding up the newspaper. Finally, she no longer had to listen to her eight year old read the entire artice and start over when she got to that one sentence. She followed Veronique and picked up her diary, sitting herself beside her twin brother Pierre.

If Heloise cut her hair, lost her freckles, and shrunk an inch, she and Pierre would be identical. Not that they don't look alike. Pierre was born 14 minutes before Heloise and boy, does he take that for granted. You'd think for sixteen years old, they'd be mature young adults. That's a partial lie. They argued over the tiniest things whether it was who played the wrong key during a piano duet, or broke the picture frame.

Then it happened. So fast. Shouting, screaming. There was no moment to think, no moments to prepare.

"Anna, take the kids! Leave here!" shouted Claude DeLaroux, Heloise's father, in some sorts of French. There was not a moment to register what he was saying, or what was happening, it was all blurry, Pierre was forcefully dragging Heloise up the stairs. They packed lightly, and Anna-Olivia was out the door with eight year old Veronique at her hip.

"There is a train coming to take the prisoner's families to New York City." Marguette Andressen said, her bags packed and her family at her side. The Andressen's oldest girl, Nicolette, was Heloise's best friend. Suddenly, more families appeared. The O'Neill, the Johnson's, and the Pratt's all were going towards the train station.

For the first time, Heloise understood a word. _Prisoner_, that was the word her brain could register. Her father is now a prisoner because of the stupid rebellion paper that he signed. _Great_, thought Heloise,_ that's just great_. Heloise kept up with her family, along with her best friends. Nicolette was holding her baby brother in her arms and was not close behind.

"We stick together!" called Daniel Pratt to Heloise, Marisa O'Neil, Andrew Johnson, and Nicolette Andressen. They agreed. They were all going to the same place, they were going to stick together. Suddenly, Heloise felt someone grab her hand. It was Andrew. The boy had an obvious crush on Heloise for Lord knows how long.

They arrived at the station. There was 15 minutes left before the train departed. Heloise took in her surroundings. The cool air. The trees and buildings. It was too much for her. She collapsed in Andrew's arms. This was the last time she'd see Canada for a while. Or possibly _forever._

"I do not want to go, Andrew." she hugged him tightly. Just the thought of leaving behind her country, her home, hurt Heloise so. Andrew was so struck that Heloise has her arms around him, that he just about forgot to answer her.

"Don't worry, Lou, we'll be alright. We'll stick together, I promise." He wrapped his arms around her. He couldn't believe how close the two were. Closer than ever before. Pierre gave Andrew a glare, then escorted the sniffling girl inside the train car.

Heloise pressed her face against the window, watching the darkness from her bed. She was going to a new home now. Suddenly, she fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

The train halted to a stop, nearly throwing Heloise from her bunk. They had arrived in New York. Grand Central Station, to be exact. Heloise grabbed her bag. She seemed to be the only one off of her bunk. Her mother was soundly sleeping in her bunk, Veronique was tossing and turning in hers. Must have been a bad dream. And in the bunk above Heloise, Pierre was snoring lightly under his covers. How could they have not felt the train stop? Then again, Heloise was light for her age. She can be battered around a bit. It was no doubt she was.

The city was so much bigger than Toronto. That was not going to be a problem for Heloise, she's used to big cities. Once they got out of the train station, they took a good look of where they were living now. Some rich man bought an entire apartment building for the prisoners families. The first two months were going to be free, as majority of the families had little to no American money. The DeLaroux's only had about 60 dollars.

"Here, take your brother, and go explore. Be back by four o'clock." Anna-Olivia said to Heloise in French, handing her five one-dollar bills. Heloise and Pierre set off to explore their new home.


	2. 2: A New World, A New Friend

The streets were busy. People were calling out things that, if said one at a time, Heloise could understand. But she couldn't, it was all to busy. Like bees, yes, they sounded like bees. There were food sellers, beggars, people selling all sorts of things.

But what caught her eye, were two boys selling newspapers. This meant Heloise and Veronique could still practice reading. Maybe American newspapers won't be as tough as Canadian newspapers. Heloise walked up to the boy in a, what Heloise would say, teal coloured shirt.

"Bonjour, Monsieur, might I ask, 'ow much ees zat newspaper?" she asked.

"Two for a penny, miss," said the boy with his back turned. That was rather rude, Heloise thought, but then the boy turned around, "it mus' be my lucky day. I have never met a goil quite as pretty as youse."

Heloise blushed a deep shade of pink and Pierre rolled his eyes.

"Uhm...do you accept dollar beells? Zat ees oll I 'ave." Heloise looked hopefully at the newsie. The boy's eyes widened at the sight of the bill

"I don' have any change, Miss."

"What eef I don't want change?"

"Really I don't need a who-"

"Take it. I zink you weel find eet much more useful that I weel. I just need zee newspaper to teach my little sister." Heloise put the bill in the boys hands. Their hands touched for just a moment.

Suddenly, he called his friend over. He wore an eye patch and had blonde hair. Heloise thought he was quite cute.

"My name's Mush, and this is my pal, Kid Blink." he stated, tipping his hat. Heloise out stretched a hand, which she expected to be shook. Instead, Kid Blink kissed her knuckles.

"I'm 'eloise and 'e's-" Pierre quickly cut off his sister

"Leaving. Come on, Lou." Heloise had just enough time to pull out a page from the back of her diary and scribble her address on the page before handing it to Mush. This was quite the adventure she was going on. She had already met_ two_, rather charming, newsboys and the time wasn't up yet.

"Heloise! Heloise! Wait up!" called Marisa O'Neill. Marisa's pulled back blonde hair swinging side to side as she slipped in between people to get to Heloise. She smiled at the girl. If anything, Marisa is one of the people Heloise was glad to see in this place.

"I met this really cute boy selling papers down at the horseracing track today! His name is Racetrack! He's really sarcastic, just like you!" Marisa said in a cheery voice. She was right, Heloise was quite sarcastic. Especially at her older brothers

"And I met two really cute newsboys today. Zey asked me my name and everything! I zink I might like zees place!" They were acting like the preppy school girls that were more popular than them. That was okay, they seemed to be completely fine with that.

Supper was finished the dishes were done, and now it was time for reading. Heloise laid out the newspaper for Veronique. There was a knock at the door. Silence, from what Heloise could take, followed by an obvious "Oh, really?" from Pierre.

"You have a visitor, 'eloise." Pierre said. Heloise rushed to the door. Was it Nicolette? Was it Andrew or Daniel? Did Jean-Luc finally come home? Nope. It was Kid Blink and Mush.

"We'se were wonderin', would you like to come down to the lodgin' house to play some poker? It ain't far from here." Heloise heart skipped a beat. She nodded, telling her mother that she was going to make some friends. Her mother said something that was in French, but Heloise was already out the door.

When they got to the lodging house, who'd be there but none other than Marisa.

"Marisa!" called Heloise.

"Heloise!" answered Marisa. Marisa picked her up in a bone-crushing hug. She's really light, remember that.

"You know each otha?" asked a boy with a cigar in clamped in his mouth. He was sitting beside Marisa. They nodded, showing off a little handshake they made when they were young.

"Oui, Héloïse m'a appris beaucoup de mots français tout au long des années." The boys in the room looked at Marisa like she was some kind of alien.

"Marisa, je pense que nous devrions parler anglais autour d'eux." Heloise added.

"What." said someone in the back. Marisa and Heloise giggled.

"I said, Heloise taught me lots of French words throughout the years." Marisa reassured.

"And I told 'eer zat ve should probably speak English around English-speakers." Heloise added, glancing around at the now less confused newsies.


	3. 3: A Lost Girl, A Found Family

"Did you enjoy your little outing last night?" Pierre said, closing his drawing book. Heloise looked up from her diary.

"Oh, lighten up Pierre! You know I veel not be you baby sister forever. That is why Veronique is 'ere! And I very much did. Marisa was zere. We played poker, and talked for a long time. Zee newsboys love 'earing my stories from Toronto." Heloise did have a good night. She got to talk to Kid Blink. He seemed to be flirting with her a bit. She didn't mind it.

Heloise took a nap, she was still tired from last night. Then, after supper, her mother broke the news that would change Heloise's life forever.

"I 'ave finally hired a maid, you three." Of course. The one thing Anna-Olivia missed about life before the rebellion was the maid. The DeLaroux had to let her go because they couldn't support her pay. Sally or "Cook" as most called her was like the older sister Heloise had always waned. But, she got stuck with two older brothers.

"But Mama, vere vill she sleep?" asked Veronique, the first to pipe up in the silence.

"She will sleep in Heloise's bed. She'll be here in about 45 minutes. Isn't this great?!" That was it, that was all Heloise needed. Tonight, she was leaving. No longer with a bed and the "home" was already crowded as it is.

It was...who even knows what time it was. Ten o'clock maybe? Anyways, that's not what we're here for. Heloise had her bags packed and was facing the door. Was she really about to turn away from her family, most likely the only remaining family she has left on this continent? She was.

Outside, Heloise took a gulp of air. Then reality hit her. It hit her as hard as the rock hit her head when Pierre threw it at her when they were six. Where was she going to live? Maybe if she walked it out, she could focus.

_Bam._

"Too focused." muttered Heloise to herself while she flawlessly helped the person she knocked over up off the ground.

"Hi, I'm David. David Jacobs." a male voice said smally. Jacobs, that sounded familiar.

" 'eloise DeLaroux." suddenly, he looked at her wide-eyed.

"Was your mother a Nepairie?"

"Oui, yes, az ee matter of fact."

"So was mine." Then it hit Heloise again, boy she was slow tonight, this was her cousin. _She had family here. That's why she came here, she has family here._

"Heloise? What are you doing out this late?" asked Mush. Heloise awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck.

"Not running away from 'ome or anyzing..." there was lots of confusion followed by "It's not safe for you out here" and stuff like that.

"Well, if you're looking for a place to stay, I'm sure we could find some room in our apartment."

"No, David. Zat ees very nice, but I zuspect 'oo 'ave a crammed 'ouse already." But David refused. In fact, he started leading Heloise towards his family's apartment. When they got to the door, David's mother, Heloise's aunt, came to the door.

"Oh, David, have you found a girl to court?" she asked, relieved. David seemed really embarassed at her question, as Heloise had to contain laughter.

"No, mom," started David in an aggrivated voice, "your sister, Aunt Anna, this is her daughter. She needs to stay with us.". Aunt Esther dropped the dish towel she was holding and grabbed Heloise's face in her hands, looking into her eyes. Heloise had the same color of eyes as her mothers, that's how you told the twins apart, aside from gender. Pierre has brown eyes, Heloise has green eyes. It'd been that way since birth.

"Heloise. I'd know those eyes and those cheeks anywhere. What are you doing here?" she asked. Heloise explained the story of how her father was captured, and how she moved to New York, how her mother made her give up her bed and she ran away because she felt as though she was just going to get in the way.

"Come in, you'll be sleeping in a bed with Sarah. Look at you, you need some food. Les, fetch your cousin a blanket before she freezes.". A small boy wrapped a blanket on her shoulders. Heloise remembered Les, she remembered meeting him and holding him for the first time. Veronique was born a few months after Les.

This was her home now. Three homes in one year was a lot for Heloise to take in. And of course, she took it in all at once.


	4. A New Job, An Old Friend

Heloise woke early the next morning. At the same time as Sarah, 5:30 in the morning. She helped her cousin cook breakfast for the family.

"How is Jean-Luc?" Sarah asked, cracking eggs into a pan. That's a question Heloise feared to answer. She didn't know how Jean-Luc was. She hadn't heard directly from him since before she came here. He sent her a letter telling her he would be home in a few months. Actually, come to think of it, that was a few months ago. Jean-Luc could be on his way home. Here, if we got lucky. In the letter, he said he was still blowing kisses at the madamoiselles as they walk by the local cafe he and his friends have coffee at.

There really is no reason for the ladies not to be blowing kisses back at Jean-Luc. He and Heloise were always, what relatives said, the best looking of the DeLarouxs. Jean-Luc had the same hair color as Anna-Olivia. It was a golden, wheat color that always reminded great-uncle Jim of his life on the Saskatchewan praries. Heloise had the same color as her now-imprisoned father. It was a dark red that wasn't quite a brown and wasn't quite a red.

" 'e's ees een France. For work. I 'aven't 'eard much of 'eem" Heloise said meekly. Now she had a feeling that Jean-Luc would come home to no family. He would go back to Canada and someone would tell him "Your family has moved to New York City, sorry about that.". That made Heloise miss him more.

After breakfast, David invited Heloise to try selling newspapers. She remembered she still had four dollars and some spare changed she grabbed off of the kitchen table when she ran away.

On their way to the distribution office, there were newsboys already selling their papers. The boys were very loud. Heloise? Not so loud. Well for one, she could only say few english words without an accent, and two, she's a shy girl. She never really got a say in stuff, Pierre would always talk for her. This put Heloise in anxiety when it came to solo decision making. Selling newspapers was gonna work out well.

At the distribution office, there were boys in a line waiting to buy their papers, boys on their way out to go to work, and everywhere in general, boys. Heloise was going to stick out like a sore thumb. Like the time her mother bought a blue dress for her Christmas pagent when all the other girls had green dresses.

She could feel the eyes on her as she passed by. She tried her best to ignore them, or else she'd turn pink with embarassment. Though, she recognized some people who were staring at her. The ones she had met at the lodging house.

"60 Papes please." David said. The boy with a bowler hat gave David the papers. Then the round man hit the hammer like thing on the table and shouted "Next!" which made Heloise jump a little.

David gave Heloise around 20 papers, so he got the other 40. Suddenly, she heard a familiar voice calling her name.

"Heloise!" she looked around and saw Kid Blink jogging up to her, a his smile on his face. She smiled back at him. "I'se was wonderin' if you wanted to sell with me today?". Heloise nodded. She could hear wolf whistles from the other boys and things like "Got a new goil, Blink?". She chuckled lightly, just barely noticing the slight pink in Blink's cheeks.

It was...eleven o'clock? That's what Heloise assumed it was. She was selling when a boy with an English accent approached her.

"Heloise?" the boy asked. Heloise turned around. It was Daniel.

"Daniel?" she asked in return. Daniel looked long into Heloise eyes, as if he was trying to see where things went wrong for her. "Don't ask." she wispered to him. This was not how she thought things would go.

"What happened, Heloise? Where is Pierre?" Daniel looked around, trying to search for her twin. He was a nowhere we could be seen.

"_I said don't ask!_" Helosie raised her voice a bit now, catching the attention of both Daniel and Blink, who had just finished selling his papers. Daniel hung his head, shamed of what he just did. He knew he shouldn't of asked, and now he had hurt Heloise. He glanced up at the tear brimmed eyes of Heloise and left.

Blink was shocked at Heloise's outburst. He would of never had guessed that a girl that small could raise her voice like that. He had an idea.

"Come wit' me." He grabbed Heloise's hand and led her through the busy streets of New York, until they got to Central Park. He sat down by a small oak tree. Heloise, though reluctant about the situation, sat down beside him.

"Do ya need ta tawk it out?" Blink asked. Heloise nodded, which made a tear go down her cheek.


	5. A First Love, A First Hate

Dutchy walked down the street towards Tibby's. He was late, so it was more like trying to move as fast and as politely as you could. That's when he saw her. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on. And she looked the same age as him. She was walking in the same direction he was going in, but across the street. He carefully crossed the street to talk to her.

"Hello, miss." he said to her. She glanced over to him.

"Bonjour." she said back, keeping her eyes on where she was going.

"Bonjour?" he asked confused. She smiled at him.

"It means 'Hello' in French."

"Oh. Well Bonjour!" he smiled back at her.

"I'm Heloise, and you are?" the girl asked. Then Dutchy remembered; Heloise was the girl who was speaking another language at the lodging house. The one with the beautiful hair and amazing eyes.

"Dutchy. Pleased to meet you. Though we've met before." Heloise studied him for a moment. Yes, she did recognize Dutchy, she hadn't talked to him before, but she did remember him from the first night she was here.

"I know you!" she exclaimed, as if she'd just struck gold. She actually remembers someone she had only talked to for three minutes before.

"So where ya' headin, Heloise?" he said, pushing his glasses up his face. Heloise looked at him with her beautiful green eyes.

Not just her eyes were beautiful, so were her freckles. Cute and freckly. The way her hair looked with her bow tied up upon it. Everything about her was...mesmerizing. Something you wouldn't forget. Sure, you couldn't understand her sometimes, but that's what made knowing her all the better. So lost in all of the New York things. The way she laughed at anything that was strange, or anything she remembered. A laugh that put joy in people.

It was the little things that made Dutchy quickly fall in love with her. The way she'd clump up a tiny peice of her skirt in her hands during a conversation. That stupid, heart warming, smile she did when she met someone new. When she'd ask so many questions about anything. All these little things that made Heloise DeLaroux all the more wonderful.

From the stories he heard when she was at the lodging house, Heloise seemed like a normal kid. She lived in a happy family with friends that love her and a promising education. She lived in Toronto, had alot of friends that were always there, but then her father signed some sort of rebellion paper? Dutchy thought that's what Heloise said on why she came to New York. He remembered her continuing talking a bit but then a saddened look crossed her face and she stopped and moved on to something about Marisa and her.

But Dutchy knew better than to start questioning someone's past. It had happened to him before, and it ended with people almost in tears.

So the two walked together all the way to Tibby's where everyone else was meeting for lunch. They talked along the way. Talked about things such as the weather, how much they sold this morning, and their favorite things.

Kid Blink was saving a seat inside for Heloise. He seemed a little heartbroken when she walked through the door that was being held open by Dutchy. She smiled that damn sweet smile at him.

"Are you okay?" Mush asked, hitting Blink slightly on the arm. Blink shook out of his gaze on the slender girl. He looked at his best friend and shrugged lightly.

"You don't like her do you?" Mush asked again, and this time, it caught the guys attention. Blink was starting to turn red and glanced over to Heloise to see if she heard.

"Like who?" Jack asked, leaning forward towards the gossip. Now Kid Blink's face was an obvious red. It was nervewracking to confess your love for someone while that someone is in the room.

"Blink's got a crush on Heloise." Mush said. Unfortunately, for Blink, Heloise was closer to them now.

"Heloise what?" she asked. Blink quietly sighed a sigh of relief. He didn't want her finding out so soon. He wanted to surprise her with it. Ask her out on a date at the same time.

Blink had it all planned out. They'd finish selling for the day, hopefully the headlines were good and it was early. Then, they'd go to Central Park. They'd talk for a bit before he would ask what she would do if a guy like him told her that he loved her. Hopefully, she'd accept it. Then he'd confess that he was liked her and would ask if she'd like to go to dinner with him. Heloise, being Heloise, will refuse if he tries to pay for both of them but he'd figure out a way. That's where they'd chat up a storm until just before Tibby's closed. Then he'd walk her back to the Jacobs'appartment, holding her hand or having his arm around her. He'd seal the night off with a goodnight kiss on the cheek before happily floating back to the lodging house. Yup, that's how Blink at least hoped it would go.

"Blink, your face is red." Heloise assured him, gently and accidentally brushing his cheek with her hand. It didn't help, he just turned redder. Heloise waved a hand in front of his face

"Blink...hello-o. Earth to Kid Blink!" he made eye contact with her. Their eyes locked for a minute. She smiled and so did he.

"I'm fine." Blink said, looking from Heloise to the guys. He stopped for a moment and looked at Dutchy, who had been staring at Heloise the entire time.


	6. A Date Night, A Returning Safety

Heloise rolled up her sleeves again. She had just finished selling for the day. Headlines were decent, only needed to lie a few times. Blink finished selling five minutes after her.

She couldn't help but watch the way Blink sells. The way he would smile politely at someone when they bought the paper. When he would thank them and tell them to have a good day. Or when he would mimic someone snooty to Heloise and she'd giggle at him.

"Walk with me, I wanna take you somewhere." Blink said, as Heloise started following him. They walked all the way to Central Park. So far, Blink's plan was going as he had hoped. Next he'd ask her what she would say if someone like him said he loved her. Here's hoping she'll accept it.

"Hey. I gotta question. What would you do if someone like me told you that they were in love with you?" Heloise was starting to go red in the face a bit, but she still tried to remain like it was any other normal question. But what _would_ she do? Would she love them back? Well, if it was Blink, she probably would. I mean,_ look at him_, he looks like an angel sent from above. And Heloise? She looked like a weirdo. At least, that's what the girls in her class though of her.

But she never _was_ a weirdo until her father signed the rebellion paper. After that, all of these kids that she never really talked to, excluding Pierre and Nicolette, became her closest allies.

She met Marisa after she had been shunned from the most popular group of girls in her class. Marisa never really fitted in with that group, frankly, she was more of the runt of the pack. After that she had met Andrew and Daniel, after they tried to stick up for themselves when the classed called a game of tag and they ran away of purpose from Daniel. Heloise and Pierre invited Daniel, Andrew, Marisa, and Nicolette over after school that day.

"Well, depends on who it is. Why do you ask?" she replied, stuttering a bit from all of her befuddlement. Blink wasn't expecting that.

"Because...because I'm in love with you Heloise. I'm in love with the way you talk, the way you smile, the way your hair moves each time you take a step. _I'm in love with you;_ with your eyes, your hair, your freckles_. You._" it was way easier than Blink had imagined. He just started talking, and it all poured out.

Heloise stared at him. She couldn't believe it. He had just said he loved her. Somebody loved Heloise DeLaroux. She couldn't really do anything . She just grabbed his hand, looked at him, and said "I love you, too.".

Blink's heart almost stopped. He was so happy she liked him, let alone loved him. All the guys would stop all the "Blink has a crush on Helosie!" business because now Heloise loved him back.

"I was also wonderin'... if you wanted to go to dinner tonight? Just us? To Tibby's?" he asked. Heloise smiled that stupid lopsided smile that turned Blink's heart to mush every time she did it.

So they walked to Tibby's together. They'd sneak glances at each other along the way. When they got to the restaurant a couple newsies were there but they didn't see the pair. They sat down and ordered.

"How do ya like it here?" Blink asked Heloise, as he finished eating. Heloise looked around the resteraunt with a little smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"I like it. Sometimes, only sometimes though, I do miss my home back in Canada. But, 'ey, that's life for ya.".

* * *

It wasn't long before Heloise finished eating and they left the resteraunt. It was evening by now, getting darker as we spoke. Blink was walking Heloise back to the Jacobs appartment.

He reached for her hand, and thought of grabbing it. Would she hold his? Would she pull away? Well, there was only one way to find out. Heloise felt a hand slip into hers. She hadn't felt that since Andrew had grabbed onto her hand when they were leaving Canada. Andrew, where was the boy? Last time they talked, he was also selling newspapers. But where? She hadn't seen him around Manhattan, he probably sold somewhere else.

"Excuse me, does one of you have the time?" somebody said, tapping Heloise and Blink on the shoulder. The voice sounded familiar to Heloise, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"Yes, sir, it's about-" Heloise turned around, looking at her pocket watch. "8:25."

"Lou?" there were only a few people who called her Lou. Andrew, Pierre, and Jean-Luc. Andrew, she hadn't talked to, so cross him off. Pierre would, but that didn't sound like Pierre. It sounded more like...Jean-Luc. "Lou." he repeated, grabbing Heloise and pulling her into a warm, bone crushing hug.

It was, in fact, Jean-Luc DeLaroux. Heloise never thought it would happen, but somehow Jean-Luc knew how to find her. Where to find her. It must have been Pierre, he probably wrote a letter when she ran away telling him to come back. Heloise took a deep breath. He smelled of sea-water and aftershave. She felt a single tear drop onto her head.

"Why are you crying?"

"I'm not crying."

"You were." she commented, sarcastically. He gave a dark chuckle and smiled down at her. She saw the look of lost and hope at the same time. That's what he saw in her eyes too. He saw that she was old enough to make a decision for herself and for the better. He knew his sister was growing up right before his eyes. Jean-Luc missed his little sister, whom he'd pick up and twirl around and then give her a hug.

Jean-Luc hadn't changed since the last time Heloise saw him. He was still the same height, with the same semi-muscular build. His eyes were still the same beautiful color they always were. The same as hers, the green color of their mothers. His blonde hair was still as blonde and neat as Anna-Olivia had left it when he left for France.

"Who's _he_?Where is Pierre? What about Veronique and Mama?" he asked, looking around. Now came the hard part, breaking the news to her brother. She looked back at Blink, who leaned against a nearby building. He smiled sadly at her, giving her a small nod.

"I...I...I ran away from home. Jean-Luc just listen to me!" Heloise cried, grabbing her brother's arm. He was starting to walk away, in search of his other family members. Jean-Luc turned around, eyes filled with tears and sadness, "Mama hired a maid, no surprise there, but she made me give up my bed. My bed! I mean, yes, we have a maid and all, but the house became really crowded very fast. I had to leave, I was only taking up space." Jean-Luc pulled Heloise into another tight hug. That felt good. She needed it.

"And...this is my friend," Heloise grabbed Blink's hand, "good friend, Kid Blink. This is my oldest brother, Jean-Luc."

Kid Blink smiled at Heloise. But that smile quickly went away when he looked over to Jean-Luc. Jean-Luc was looking back and forth between Heloise and Blink.

"My enfant sister! She has a boyfriend! You're growing up so fast!" Jean-Luc kissed her head and spun her around.

"Jean-Luc, no, you're embarassing. He's not my boyfriend." Heloise said, turning back to Blink with a look on her face that clearly read "..yet."

"It's my job. Now, which way's the apartment?" Heloise gave directions to Jean-Luc and he hugged her one more long time and left.

"I'm not your boyfriend? I am hurt!" Blink said, for dramatic effect. Heloise gave him a kiss on the cheek, laughing.

"Of course you are." she winked.


	7. A Nickname, A Guilt Trip

The next few days were rainy and damp, which did not help sales at all. Since Heloise had money saved, she'd usually just do housework around the Jacob's apartment. It wasn't until a Friday night, or late evening, that she had decided to go out. Kid Blink said a bunch of the guys were going to hang out at the lodging house, maybe play some poker. Now, Heloise new better than to gamble, so she sat quietly off to the side, chatting with Marisa. They had remained abnormally chatty up until the room went quiet when someone entered through the window.

"Hey Spot, ova here!" Jack called as this 'Spot' character made his way over. He looked at Heloise and Marisa on his way over, and all Heloise could do was smile a bit. She had heard of the infamous _Spot Conlon_ before, but this was the first time that they were meeting each other. Well, they haven't formally met yet, but this is the first time Heloise saw him in person.

Marisa shrugged at Heloise, who was looking confusedly at her. They stopped chatting, and sent each other looks of confusion, awkwardness, and an all around feeling that something was up about him. Bit by bit, their hearing tuned into the poker game that was happening a couple meters away. Sometimes Marisa and Heloise don't need to say anything, they just know what's up and what they want to know.

"_Those_ two? Newsies? But deys' look to weak ta be newsies!"

"Really Spot, I'm not kidding, Heloise is getting to be a better seller than some of us here right now." Heloise blushed, and Marisa smirked at her.

"They'se wouldn't survive as newsies, I'm not going to believe it. Goils are too fragile, they ain't _stong_ or _fast_ enough."

"Well I'm sure she's faster than you'se Spot."

"Bet on it?"

"Oh shut it, Higgins. Well, if you'se think a goil is faster than me, I guess we will have to race." _Race?_ No, she wasn't going to race with him. Sure, she was a fast runner, but only when she wasn't being peer pressured into having a race with the alleged King of Brooklyn. Heloise's face turned pink, and Marisa looked as if she was about to blow her top at Spot for the way he was talking about girls.

Heloise's stomach dropped as soon as she heard, "Hey, Heloise! You got a minute?". She gulped, getting up and walking over to the boys playing poker. Her mind was numb with nervousness and her hands shook with anticipation.

"Spot here wants to have a race with you'se." Jack said, nodding in Spot's direction. Heloise bit her lip with her chattering teeth. All she had to do was say no, and she wouldn't have to race against him. But before she knew it, Marisa was up and into the offer, as if she was using Heloise to demonstrate that girls aren't weak.

"She'd love to. Wouldn't you, Heloise?" Marisa asked, as Heloise nodded shakily. She was going to race and get it over with. Maybe she should just throw it off and lose. But then Marisa would be mad, because Marisa knows how fast Heloise can run.

So Marisa, Heloise, Spot, Jack, Racetrack, Mush, and Kid Blink all filed out of the lodging house and onto the street, as some of the other boys were watching from the windows. Marisa would start off the race, and sixty or so meters away, Jack would be the finish line. Heloise took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She got into her starting position, and looked over to Spot, who was...scowling at her? It was too dark, she couldn't tell.

"Ready? On your mark," _Oh no_, she thought, _this is actually happening_. "get set," Why did she ever agree to do this. If she had been more confident about the situation, she probably wouldn't have been feeling like the way she was now. "Go!" _Boom_, Heloise takes off Sprinting towards Jack. She couldn't see Spot, so she thought he was in front of her. After all, her mind was fixed on one thing: Getting the race over with. She could barely hear or see her surroundings, just the street lamp where Jack was waiting to congratulate the winner.

And she did it. _She passed Jack_. The race was over with. No matter who won, she would no longer be pressured into running again. Heloise slowed herself down eventually stopping. Everybody ran up to her, shaking her hand and patting her back. She could hear all of the boys in the lodging house cheering for her. A smile made it onto her now red face, as she leaned on Blink for support.

"I did it! I won!" she said, out of breath.

"It was so cool! You can sprint without getting tired! That's a true talent!" cheered Mush, jumping like and excited puppy. Heloise laughed, shaking her head.

"And a nickname right there. Welcome to the team, Sprint." Jack said, patting Heloise's back. Did she really have a nickname now?

She saw Spot, away from the crowd, with his hands in his pockets and his shoes kicking up dust. Guiltily, Heloise made her way over to him. She smiled a sad smile to him, holding out her hand.

"Good race." she said simply, hoping that he wasn't going to be a poor sport about the whole thing. He took her hand, shaking it.

"Yeah, you too." his tone of voice still sounded sad, as Heloise took a step closer to him. "I still can't believe I'se got beat by a goil, though." she didn't know how to react to a situation like this, for she hand never been in one before. She smiled sadly again, putting her hand on his shoulder, hoping he wouldn't step away from her.

"Don't sweat it, Spot." she said. He nodded at her, following the rest of the crowd inside. She felt bad for winning now, with Spot so frustrated with being beat by a girl and Marisa so enthused at proving her point.

Inside the lodging house Heloise was overwhelmed with a boatload of congratulations, one of them being a friendly hug from Dutchy. Once the cheering died off and everybody went back to the things they were doing, she decided it was time to go, before it got to late. Blink and Dutchy had a five minute arguement about who was going to escort her home, which ended with Heloise having them both go with her. One held onto her hand, and one linked arms with her.

"Goodnight, boys." she said, giving them both a goodnight kiss on the cheek, as her family would do.

Blink and Dutchy argued all the way back to the lodging house about Heloise. Blink was trying to make it clear that Heloise liked him, but Dutchy just wasn't having it. He would cut off his statements, providing his own side of the argument.

"Blink, she obviously likes me more than she likes you. She kissed my cheek _first_." he pointed at his cheek, in the spot where Heloise had kissed him.

"Dutchy that means _nothin'._ I took her out, much more than walking to Tibby's wit' her or getting kissed on the cheek first." Blink corrected, as he walked into the lodging house. Kloppman looked up at the two bickering newsies before him and rolled his eyes, shaking his head at them.

"She still likes me more anyways." Dutchy said quietly, as Blink stared up at the dark ceiling of the bunkroom.

"Well," Skittery said, "how about you ask her and just be quiet for the rest of the night. _Please._" he grumbled.

"Fine, I will."


End file.
